Scientists have discovered why elephants rarely get cancer

Scientists have discovered elephants have genes that defy cancer cells.

The scientists saw cancer resistant elephant after the animal was hit by gamma radiation. Therefore, scientists have found that in mammals there are three genes, known as FANCL, BCL11A, and VRK2, which act as anti-cancer protection.

Because all vertebrates evolved from a common ancestor, humans have the same genes, which for some reason do not protect from disease in the same degree. However, scientists have already begun to conduct research that should lead to increased action of these DNA. In the future it will be able to encourage the body to fight cancer cells at an early stage of the disease.

The method gives us new possibilities for studying genes and potentially opens approaches to detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, – said the author of the study from the University of Utah Christopher Greg.

According to scientists, only 1 out of 20 elephants was diagnosed with the disease. At the same time, 1 of 2 people who participated in the study had tumors or were ill with cancer. Scientists also explained that the elephants there are 40 genes of p53, which do not provide cancer education to grow, at a time when a person has only one such gene.